Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-10
VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS HOME.
Meeting Last Evening of Citizens ant
Address by Captain Blanding.

Meeting Last Evening of Citizens ant
Address by Captain Blanding.
A meeting of citizens was held at tn
City and County Improvement Association
| rooms to consider the subject of the loca
ton about to be fixed for Home for dis
abled volunteer soldiers in this State, ant
to take steps to have Sacramento's claim
for the location properly considered
There was large audience present. Mayor
Gregory presided, and J. o. Coleman actec
| as Secretary.
Capt. VIM Banding of San Francisco 6
member of the National Board OF Man
ayers of the several Homes for Volunteer
Soldiers, was present by invitation, and
addressed the meeting. He read the Act
of Congress providing for establishing and
maintaining Of Homes, and gave an exceed
ing interesting statement concerning them.
There are now five of these Homes, he said,
the Oldest being at Dayton, Ohio. he gave
| IN detail the workings and various depart
| ments of this institution, and showed 1t TO
| be mammoth enterprise of the Nation, in
appreciation and behalf of its loyal and
battle-scarred defenders. 1t has 400
veterans domiclled within its cheerful
| apartments, affording most pleasant homes,
with every comfort that can be desired.
The buildings are well arranged and finely
constructed. and the grounds, the
speaker said he had never seen equaled
for beauty, except at Washington.
A fine flagstaff stands in the center OF
the grounds, surrounded with cannon, piles
of ball and shell, and "old glory" floats
over them every day in the year, proud
and dear emblem to the old veterans who
constantly look upon it. Everything Is
done that can be to make the place an en-
deared spot and an actual home to the ex-
soldiers who occupy it. An extensive
library is maintained, with spacious rooms
for reading and pleasure. One OF the
largest theaters-probably the largest in the
State outside of Cincinnati - has been
erected and beautifully finished, and here
the best plays are produced. AT one time,
recently, q Madison-square company played
an engagement of ten weeks continuously,
three evenings week, to which the IN
mates of the Home are free attendants, ell
others having To pay small fee.
The company was paid by the managers
of the Home from fund left for this pur-
pose by rich gentleman of New York,
and from which fund the theater was also
built. Theatrical companies are hired at
dull seasons when advantageous arrange
ments can be made with them. An excel
lent band belongs at the post, which fur
nishes orchestral music on these occasions,
gives open air concerts upon the grounds,
and plays in the hospital mornings for the
benefit of those who cannot get out to the
alter and other amusements
The hospitals are patterns of neatness
and home comforts. AT the hospital for
the blind, in which there are about eighty,
the inmates are taught to make bead work
and such other occupations as they may
desire, and become very expert. The arti-
Giles which are so manufactured are pur-
chased from them by visitors, and in this
manner and in various other ways, small
sums of money are earned by the old SOL
diers in addition to the amounts they re-
ceive from pensions, which they send to
their families, or spend according to their
pleasure. Some OF the soldiers have as
high as $1,000 in the reserve fund
All work on the grounds, except in few
cases, is performed by the veterans, who
receive from 25:cents to So per day, accord
ing to the value of the service rendered.
The cemetery, in which 5000 have al
ready been laid at rest, is beautifully cared
for, and has a beautiful monument stand
ing on mound in the center Of it. 1t is
white marble column 4S feet in hight, with
colossal figure of soldier, at parade rest,
on its summit. AT each corner Of the base
are life-sized figures, also of marble, and
finely sculptored, representing the four
arms of the service-artillery, cavalry in
fantry and the navy.
The appropriations made by Congress
for support of these several homes are lib
eral, and constantly increasing. In 1886
the amount was $1,472O00, the present
year 81 ,631 900, and next year, for the fiscal
year ending in 1889, will reach $1,000 0OO
The number of inmates in the several
Homes, on the LIST of last month, was as
follows: At Dayton, 5,172 at Milwaukee,
1,941 at Hampton, 1854; at Tongus, l.,
72S; at Leavenworth, 1901; Total, r.
1896. The number of men cared for from
1865 to 1886 was As, 1856, and the cost of SUBJ
sistence S122 81 per man per year.
The remarks of Captain Blanding, of
which the foregoing is but a very imper-
feet condensation, were highly interesting
throughout, and in addition to generous
applause vote of thanks was unanimously
and warmly rendered the speaker at the
conclusion, for his interesting address and
for the consideration manifested towards
this locality concerning locating the Home
about TO be erected in this State. 1t has
been ascertained during Captain Blanding's
visit here that there are two or three sites
in this vicinity which admirably answer
the requirements of the law and the pro-
visions laid down by the National Board of
Managers as to place for erecting the
Home, and it is believed that, in matters
of climate, soil, water supply and drainage,
no place of equal merits can be found else
where in the State. The Winters tract
Sutterville Lowell Hill and other localities
have been examined with view to the
purposes stated.
Knowing the advantages maintained by
the Capital City, and convinced that it
is the most desirable place for the new
Home, it was determined at the close of
the meeting, to make proper representation
to the National Board, when it shall
arrive and convene, the present month,
and invite an examination of the locations
we have to offer. To this end the Mayor
was, upon motion, requested to telegraph
to the members of the Board now about TO
start from the East for this Coast, and in
vite them to stop here upon arrival as the
guests of the city, and make inspection OF
the advantages of this section.
The following committee was also elected
TO take charge of the matter of receiving
them, and properly presenting our claims
| to the location for the Home: Mayor Il. J
Gregory, Hon. Newton Booth, Joseph Stef-
| f51ls, J. o. Coleman, C. II. Hubbard, p Z
Plat, a. Abbott, Hon. W. C. Hendricks
| y S. Hopkins, K. T. Devlin, August He'll
bron, ". .. Gerber, J. w. Wilson, Alder.
Galla,in, } i. Wright, II. Wei tocis, HoH
+. h. Dray, DR.. G. l.. Simrl ms, I'D. l.
Hamilton, DR.. G. G. Tyrrell s. t. Caring
| ton, r. E. Stephens, G. W. Cnesley c. H
Luhrs, G. w. Hancock S. Prentiss Smith,
V. S. McClstchy, J. n. Larkin, F. f. Peb-
bets, John Mcneil, 7. NJ. Lindley and
Thomas Dwyer.
A meeting of the committee has been
called at the Improvement Association
rooms, 429 street, tomorrow evening al
7:30.